The Conversation
by montez
Summary: Companion to Memories and Hope should read first to understand This is Mac and Jim's conversation about the events with Dean that night at the pond. using Ridley's Brotherhood. Dedicated to aniki19 and Sensue.


The Conversation

By: Montez

Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural created by Eric Kripke, nor do I own the Brotherhood characters created by Ridley James.

A/N: This is a companion piece to Memories and Hope. You should really read it first to know what the conversation is about. The is Mac and Jim's talk about the events with Dean at the pond.

I'm dedicating this to _aniki19 _(who wondered about this conversation) and _Sensue _(who is my Beta).

Hope you guys like this. Thank You All.

_Pastor James Murphy's Journal  
__Guardian of the current Triad of the Brotherhood  
__June 6, 1986_

_We came very close to loosing young Samuel this week. I find myself worrying more and more for the children who have come into my life the last few years. First came young Caleb, the boy carries so much around inside that I worry he will one day become lost inside himself. He still, after almost three years, doesn't reveal much about his past. This last incident with Samuel almost sent Caleb over an invisible edge that I am well aware Mackland continuously worries about. I knew form he moment we found the troubled youth that Mackland would be the best person for him. They each also seemed to realize this as well as Mackland became very protective of Caleb almost from the moment we found the nearly comatose boy at the psychiatric hospital where he was being held. Then, according to Caleb's social worker at the time, Caleb, though outwardly defiant, had immediately felt he could trust Mackland as well. They both have grown as individuals and as father and son. I would like to thins I had a hand in it, but I know all to well; fate and destiny are not something any mortal has control over._

_Since John Winchester and his boys have come into my life I have learned a whole new level of patience. Not only dealing with Samuel when he was a baby, something I had no experience at all with, but also dealing with young Dean's silence those first few months. And John-- John is another matter all together. John loves his children, of that I have no doubt, but I fear his vengeance toward what took Mary from them will become an increasing obsession. Though it will undoubtedly overshadow their lives, I believe John will make an excellent Knight for the Brotherhood. He is committed to the cause and thought I don't agree with his methods all the time, I believe he can and will accomplish much as part of out Triad. He is already mentoring young Caleb, who's future, though clouded by his inner turmoil, is not entirely set, but is becoming clearer as time passes. Caleb will most likely take John's place in the distant future._

_I am almost ashamed to say I have another reason for keeping John close to the fold. Though not just of my choosing was John selected as Knight, there is a greater reasoning going on that I…_

Jim's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the library door. As he looked up, Mac pushed open the door slightly. "Mackland, come in, please." Jim closed his journal, placing his glasses on top. "Did Jonathon and the boys get off all right?" The Winchester's had been preparing to leave that morning, John had gotten wind of a hunt. It had been two weeks since Sammy's accident and subsequent illness that had nearly taken him from his family. His miraculous recovery was still as mysterious as the events that had taken place that night.

"Yes, John said he'd hopefully pass by in a month or so, but assured me he would keep in touch." Mac knew that was probably an empty promise. Even with becoming the Knight, John was still an independent individual and was trying to install that in his boys, even thought the children were still so young.

"Well, I guess I won't hold my breath on that. What do you think?" Jim chuckled, knowing it could be closer to six month's before John and the boys passed their way again. Jim watched as Mac sat on the small couch near the fire place. Jim came around his desk, taking the chair across from the Doctor. "Mackland?" Jim had noticed Mac had seemed more reserved since Sammy's hospitalization.

Mac laid his head back on the couch, blowing out a deep breath, "This has been the roughest two weeks I've had in a long time." Mac whispered.

Jim nodded, knowing something was on his friends mind, but he also knew Mac was one to speak carefully around a subject of which he was unsure.

Mac raised his head, meeting the Pastor's gaze. "Sammy," Mac rubbed his hand across his eyes, "Jim I was scared to death when I saw Caleb surface the pond with that baby in his arms, I thought for sure he was dead. Then Dean at the hospital. I never felt more useless in my life. I couldn't stop anything that was happening. And Caleb…" Mac leaned forward, elbows on his knees, tears stinging his eyes. "I have never, never been so terrified in my life. When I saw my son on that ledge…God, Jim…I thought I had lost him. My world stopped." tears finally escaped as Mac closed his eyes, images of Caleb on the roof, the lost tone of his son's voice playing in his mind.

Jim also couldn't help but to relive seeing Caleb fall back from the edge of the roof. The older man had just glanced up from the parking lot, having been looking for Mac and Caleb at the hospital. Then coming through the roof access door, seeing Mac cradling his son, not knowing if the boy was alive or dead in those few horrifying seconds it took Jim to cross the roof to Mac's side. "We came very close to loosing them all, I'm afraid. I pray that doesn't happen again, but Mackland that's not all that is preying on you mind is it?" Jim watched as surprise seemed to fill the younger man's eyes.

"Are you becoming psychic on me too now, Jim?" Mac chuckled, realizing the Preacher could usually pick up when something was bothering someone.

"No, I just know you my friend." Jim smiled that comforting smile that made you feel he knew everything about everything and that he could make it all right.

"It's about that night, with Dean at the pond." Mac leaned back again and looked at Jim, "You know he almost sounded like you do sometimes."

Jim's eyebrows raised, curiously amused and concerned at the same time, "How so?"

"Just the way he tried to explain what his mother had said; about Caleb, Sammy, about his and Sammy's safety while Caleb was around, and his tone… it was…I don't know, distant? Like he was there, but not, and the look on his face. He seemed, just for a moment, so much older than his seven years, like he was glimpsing something that was only meant for him." Mac blew out a breath, "I'm not making any sense am I?"

"Actually," Jim stood, walking toward the mantle, looking at one of the last pictures taken of his Emma. "Your making more sense than you think Mackland."

Mac watched as Jim picked up his wife's photo, staring at it. The Doctor was more confused as, again, Jim seemed to be talking in riddles. "How so Jim? I've nearly convinced myself Dean's actions that night were misrepresented by my own fear and stress of the night." Being a doctor who's specialty was the brain, Mac knew how stress and traumatic events can effect the brains perception of those events.

Jim replaced his wife's picture to it's spot and pushed his hands into his pockets, dropping his gaze to the floor. "I suspected something when Dean first came to us. The quiet, lost five year old was more than what he seemed. Then, he started following me when I would go to the pond, I let him believe he was doing it in secret, but I always knew he was there. Finally, when he first went onto the pond on his own, do you remember?" Jim turned, looking up at Mac who nodded. How could he forget that day. They had all thought Dean was asleep upstairs with Sammy, only to realize he had snuck out of the house and taken the row boat onto the pond. Dean was barely six at the time, Mac remembered, it was the first time Caleb had willingly entered a body of water larger than the bathtub. The teen had a fear of bodies of water; he associated water with his parents deaths and avoided it as much as possible. When Caleb and himself had pulled the boat to shore and Dean was pulled from it, the child's response as to why he had snuck out and taken the boat out sent chills through the adults. Dean had said he wanted to feel like he was floating on clouds so he could be closer to heaven and to his mother.

Jim continued as Mac was brought from his thoughts of that day, "Do you remember how after that he would search out the quiet of the pond on several occasions. As I watched this, I started to get a feeling there was more to it. With this last incident, it has confirmed what I have suspected for sometime." Jim stopped as he again glanced at the photos on the mantel. One in particular drew his gaze this time, it was taken just a few weeks ago at Sammy's third birthday party, it was the smiling faces of Caleb, Dean and Sammy.

Mac watched, waiting to see if Jim would continue. He still wasn't sure where the Pastor was going with his train of thought. After several minutes of silence Mac spoke, "Jim? I don't understand."

Jim's quiet voice answered, "Caleb's old enough, and you're aware of the path he has been placed on. His training with Jonathon is to not only make him a better hunter, you know it is also to prepare him to be the future Knight." Jim's gaze met Mac's, "Caleb is smart enough to have figured this out also."

Mac nodded, though he had fought it, even arguing with Jim when it was first suggested. Not only because of what Caleb had already been through in his young life, but because of what some in the Brotherhood wanted to believe about his son's lineage. The possible connection to a demon possessed preacher over a hundred years ago who had murdered his congregation only to have his pregnant wife escape and disappear. Until years later when her own mysterious death again brought her and her childs attention to the Brotherhood of the time. That pastor was a supposed ancestor of Caleb's, though no proof existed; some in the Brotherhood believed Caleb was something less than human. Mac had reluctantly agreed to the arrangement of John's mentorship of Caleb. Though John's tactics were far different than Mac's, the Doctor did see where it would indeed prepare Caleb for his future position.

"Jim?" Mac still wasn't seeing where this was going.

"I have reason to want the boys close. It was nearly confirmed by the revelation of Dean's experience at the pond. You know there is still much mystery that surrounds the selection of positions in future Triads. It's not just the current Guardian's choice of an individual; certain qualities have to be seen in those individuals, but there are other forces at work that, for lack of a better word, alert the current Guardian to possible future Triad members. That is why our Triad is so unconventional, those who believe tradition and family should dictate the selection have no idea how it is done. Those from long lines of hunters and former Triad members don't understand there is more at work. That is why there was friction when Julian chose me over Griffin as Guardian of this generation. At the time I thought it was the wrong choice, I hadn't come from a hunter's background like Griffin, but since becoming Guardian I see it is not just the individual who decides. It was not just my choice that you or Jonathon were to become the Scholar and Knight. We are not a traditional Triad and some within the ranks cannot and will not accept that, so that will make it just as difficult for the Triad that comes after us. Their positions will always be questioned by some. Signs are already being revealed, just as Caleb is most certainly destined to be the next Knight…" Jim watched as Mac suddenly came to the realization of what Jim, in his round about way was telling him, not only as Mac, but as the Scholar.

"Dean?" Mac whispered.

Jim shook his head, "Yes, Dean."

"Does John know? I mean have you talked to him yet?" Mac stood and came to stand closer to the Pastor.

"No, with everything that happened and I, myself, needed to consult my sources to see if I was reading the signs correctly. However, I am convinced that our young Dean is predestined to be the next Guardian." Silence fell between the two men as the realization settled over them of the importance of Dean's position within the Brotherhood, within their family. "He will need to be protected, even if Jonathon doesn't realize it." Jim whispered. Mac nodded, knowing that in of itself would be a daunting task with John's reluctance to settle in any one place for long.

Oxoxoxox

Neither man in the library realized they were being overheard by a certain fifteen year old. Caleb had listened to the conversation between the two older men. He had relived his emotions of the last two weeks as well, only barely understanding what they had each gone through over those two frightening days, two weeks ago. However, the teen was now stunned by the revelation about Dean.

Just as Jim had said, Caleb was smart enough to have figured out his future when he had been placed in training with the current Knight. He knew it was to prepare him to be the future Knight, but now. Now his training would take on a whole different dynamic. He was not only training to protect the future Scholar and Guardian, he was training to protect his best friend, his little brother: Dean.

Leaning against the wall outside the library, Caleb made a vow to himself, even though he already took his training serious, there would be a new urgency to what he learned. A new focus to what he was taught, not only by John, but by Mac and Jim. He would start to take his psychic training with Mac more seriously. He needed to be in tune with not only his physical strengths, but his psychic strengths as well. More was at stake than he would have ever imagined.

As he walked away from the door, toward the stairs that would lead to his room, where Mac had thought the boys was working on his meditation, to help control the pain his visions brought with them. Caleb felt a determination take hold of him. He would make it a point to stay in near constant contact with the Winchester, if only by psychically connecting to them, which he had become better at, but also to find ways of physically being near them. Though still a teenager, that would still be dictated by his father, once he was old enough he would shadow the Winchesters whenever possible; he had a new mission-to protect his friend, the future Guardian.

Oxoxoxox

Jim spoke again as he walked toward his desk. "We will always need to know where they are, even when Jonathon doesn't want to tell us."

"That won't be easy, John won't like that." Mac almost laughed at the thought of John being shadowed without knowing it.

"Yes, but not impossible," Jim gave a mischievous grin, "I have recourses, my friend, that you don't know about." Jim watched as Mac's smile faltered slightly as the realization of the comment settled over the Doctor.

"Jim, Do you have people watching my son and myself?" Mac was a cross between amused and shocked.

"I'll never tell." Jim smiled as he picked up his glasses and reopened his journal, signaling to Mac that their conversation was over.

Mac, still looking bewildered, walked toward the door, "I'll find us something for dinner."

"That would be very nice of you Mackland. I shall be through in a bit." Jim watched as Mac left, pulling the door closed. Jim took up his pen and continued his entry;

_I will have to find the time to talk with Jonathon, as my assumptions have been confirmed from my conversation with Mackland. Dean's need to be near the water, his need to protect others, even if it meant sacrificing himself. The comments of the visitation by his mother, or whom he believes to be his mother, have revealed his future._

_My first encounter with the Lady had been in a vision of my dear Emma. I believe the Lady comes to us in a comforting figure until we accept who we are, then she reveals her true self. So to a child who still misses his mother so much and who is still unaware of his destiny, she would come as his mother._

_Though it doesn't completely explain what happened at the hospital, other than the Lady's connection to both the physical and spiritual realms, could have allowed Mary's spirit to provide the healing of Samuel. Because the Lady would understand, as we do, that loosing Samuel would also cost us Dean and She would protect him any way She can._

_The End_

A/N: I took the notion of the Lady from; Noble Obligation by Tidia, I hope she didn't mind, I just love the reference to the Lady and wanted to use it. I came up with how I would think the Lady would appear to a future Guardian who either was to young, as with Dean, or unsure of himself, as I implied with Jim. I hope I didn't take away from the mystery of it all. The Brotherhood Universe is such a wonderful creation I only hope to do it justice in my attempts. Thanks to all who have read my stories and continue to do so, it means so much to me.

Again Thank you to Sensue for being my beta. To Ridley for her wonderful creation of this playground and allowing others to play too. And lastly to Mr. Kripke with whom none of this could have ever occurred. Until next time--Montez

_And each man stands with his face in the light  
__of his own drawn sword. Ready to do what a hero can." _

_-- Elizabeth Barrett Browning  
__English poet, political thinker, and feminist 1806-1861_


End file.
